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DWR Complaints
Complaint Details
Complaint
Complaint Number
50543
DWR Program Area
WPC
Date Received
12/5/2018
How Received
Voice Mail
Concerning
Pollution / Spills / Illicit Discharge
Concerning (Other)
Assigned on
12/5/2018
Record Last Updated
20-NOV-2023 12:22PM
Location based on SITE_ID
Site ID
4777
Site
Domtar Paper Company, LLC - Kingsport Mill
Location
100 Clinchfield Street
City
Kingsport
Description
Paper Mills
County
Sullivan
EFO Name
Johnson City
Site Owner
Weyerhaeuser Company Kingport Paper
Investigation Results
Status
Issue Resolved
Date Investigated
12/5/2018
Responsible Party
Domtar Paper Company
Completed on
12/10/2018
Referred To
Referred on
Photos
Complaint Description and Writeup
Complaint Description and Writeup
Bonnie DePew (Domtar - Kingsport Mill) left voicemail for BBC on 12/5/2018 to report a discharge of partially treated process wastewater from the mill's primary clarifier to the South Fork Holston River. An estimated 55,000 gallons of clarifier effluent overflowed from a pump station sump into the stormwater outfall 007 channel, which leads to the South Fork Holston River. The cause of the discharge was attributed to an unknown electrical outage affecting the control system for the pumps used to transfer primary clarifier effluent to the aerated lagoon for further treatment. Investigation into the exact cause and sequence of events was still underway at the time of initial report. Domtar notified the downstream First U.D. of Hawkins County WTP of the release.
BBC and JTBe travelled to the site on 12/5/2018 to investigate the release. Domtar personnel had sandbagged off the stormwater outfall channel, and American Environmental was pumping the accumulated process wastewater back into the primary clarifier. Remaining wastewater and visible residue will be pumped to the clarifier before cleanup operations are suspended. Water level in the SFHR at the time of observation was high enough to keep accumulated foam backed up into the outfall channel. A written report on the incident will be submitted.
BBC received updated information from Mrs. DePew on 12/6/2018. Revised estimate of the volume lost was 230,000 gallons. The lead pump motor failed for reasons to be determined. The investigation and formulation of appropriate corrective actions is ongoing.